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• Reflect on how you are making a difference at work and through your work — be able to give examples. • Reflect on the meaning of your work as it relates to your core values. • Seek to increase what you enjoy! Seek to serve, not shine. To some extent, it's human nature to look out for No. 1. We all want to rack up accomplishments, receive accolades and garner recognition. But in many situations, the desire to shine can cause you to get in your own way. "Ironically, the key to shining is putting others first," Core explains. "People who channel their efforts toward making others' lives easier are nearly always respected, included and considered valuable. When you help others reach their goals and become their best, you'll usually find that the same things happen to you." Fill up your energy bank account so you can make withdrawals when you need them. Throughout life, circumstances arise that are beyond our control. You may experience a major illness, lose a loved one or be forced to relocate. We must focus on controlling what we can. "What I mean is, know your needs and capacities and try not to exceed them on a regular basis," he says. "In other words, get enough sleep. Eat nutritiously. Exercise when time permits. That way, when you do find yourself needing to push the limits, you'll have a healthy margin of energy, motivation or whatever to draw on." Forget the future. (Really!) The future can be an inspiring thing…but it can also be a scary and misleading one. Awfulizing, what-ifs and doomsday thinking can plunge you into paralyzing anxiety. And making incorrect assumptions can send you down the wrong path. That's why, aside from setting goals for yourself, Core says you should try not to let your mind wander into future outcomes. Forgive yesterday so you can work on today. Core says most successful, hardworking people are often hard on themselves to an unproductive level. "Treat yourself with the same compassion and generosity you'd extend to another person who'd messed up or fallen short of a goal," urges Core. "If it helps, follow the two-hour rule I learned from one of my past coaches: When you have a bad performance or make a mistake, you have two hours to pout, scream, cry, wallow or do whatever you think will help you deal with the disappointment. But when 120 minutes have passed, it's time to start moving forward again." J Andy Core is the author of Change Your Day, Not Your Life: A Realistic Guide to Sustained Motivation, More Productivity, and the Art of Working Well. He is an award-winning lecturer, author, television host and expert in human performance and motivation. Visit andycore.com. THE CHANGES THAT BUILD MOMENTUM ARE ROOTED IN DECISIONS, NOT ADDITIONAL TASKS. 26 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2014 RINKMAGAZINE.COM , Continued from page 25 Overwhelming To-Do List? 13 Tactics For Getting It All Done